The Lay of Afarfin and Melviriel
by Red Demon
Summary: In the darkness that is the Silmarillion, a Noldo and Nando meet, their lives so different and yet bound up in each others.  Can they survive the Dark Lord?  Can they survive their own kin?
1. Chapter 1

The Lay of Afarfin and Melviriel

A Chance Meeting

It had been years since Afarfin and his brothers had crossed the sea back to Beleriand. Years since blood had coated their hands and their swords, at least, the blood of their kin. All the orc blood black as it was could not seem to wash away the vision of his blade stained red once the battle was over and they were on the ships sailing from the Blessed Land. Even now in this forest his mind still lingered upon that memory even though it was a dark and truely dangerous place to be when one was paying attention. However had had been given leave from his Lord Finrod of Minas Tirith had ordered him to take leave. Of course he had meant for Afarfin to stay inside the great fortress watch tower and rest, but he had ridden out almost the same day to hunt orcs in the wilds. And yet they alluded him as did bandits. He had of course ridden south rather than north towards Morgoths fortress but now he found himself near the border of Doraith in the Brethil forest. Here wild men were the most he was likely to find, boars and wolves perhaps were the biggest threat and yet the forest seemed for the most part at peace for the moment and his troubled heart rested at the sight of the sun trickling through the heavy canopy overhead. He was upon a small trail, one that he figured was made by elves, or men, for certainly no deer would create such a wide path for itself.

Likely troops from Doraith headed out this way for it was amongst the swiftest routes north, it was the one that he would take to return to Tol Sirion, he pulled his horse up looking bainfully at the path that had denied him a run in with any foul creatures. In such days such a journey made unspoiled was normally something to be thankful for yet he wanted to spill dark blood, and wash his blade further. In his thoughts a rustle came from beside him and his horse pinned it's ears backed and snorted angrily and the Noldo drew his sword immediately thinking that perhaps the Vala had heard his frustrations and were giving him some dark servant of Morgoth to slay. Instead though, a slender figure, a young ellon he thought at first out hunting for his family appeared obscured by the heavy brush. However once they reached the road they stopped looking him over once and looking at the drawn sword before paying him no more heed. Though they wore the garb of a young hunter and carried a bow, and seemed to know how to use it by the two hens held in hand, it was no boy that stood before him but a woman who upon realizing what he was, proceeded to ignore him and pluck burs from her hair for a moment before heading further south as if he did not even exist. He though was quite aware of her existence, she was a strange beauty to him, pale and slender with hair black like the night and eyes to match a thunderhead of Manwe himself.

"You frightened me!" He said calling after her before starting to follow her as she started down the path setting her bow over her shoulder and marching at a speed that most Noldorian Captains would laud in their soldiers. She glanced over his shoulder and gave him a scowl. "And what is a woman like yourself out hunting for? Surely the men of Doraith are far more skilled-"

"Leave." She said cutting him off with a glare that would have frozen a balrog in place.

"At least tell me your name. I'd know that much at least so that I could tell my Lord that the King of Doraith now has women hunting for his table."

"I hunt for my table. Leave." Her tone was perhaps colder than it had been before, and Afarfin frowned, surely a young woman such as herself would have a young husband or even a son to make sure that there was food enough for their table.

"I have never heard of a woman providing such a feast on their own." Her pace was swift now though on his horse he had no problems keeping up with her.

"You clearly are from a far nobler house then my lord. Now leave me be. I would prefer to get the hens home to clean them."

"You speak with a tongue that has been trained almost in the ways of the court yet you would call me a Lord?" Afarfin said with a chuckle, "No my lady I think you are confused I am but a lowly soldier of the house of Finrod to the North. I should think you out rank me."

"Yet you ride a horse and I walk. Hardly the case my lord I should think." She said glancing about occasionally pulling berries and a few plants from the side of the path sticking them in a pouch about her belt. Afarfin was not use to such behaviour from a woman and followed intreged by her, especially since he had not gotten her name.

"At least tell me your name so that I might know who I have had the honor of speaking with."

"We are not speaking." She said calmly as she reached a clearing in the path. "And I am going home so unless you know some way of getting through the Girdle uninvited you might as well leave." She said stopping at the edge of the clearing looking at him.

"I do not know any such way, but I know the girdle is not for another mile and I will get your name from you in that distance I should hope." Afarfin said with a smile dismounting from his horse and leaving him to graze and rest in the clearing while he continued on following the young elleth. As he looked at her while she walked he guessed that she was perhaps twenty years his junior, still young, but old enough to have wed by now, and old enough to be in the courts of Doraith so the fact that she was not intreged him. She walked in silence though and gave him no attention, and soon dispite his onslaught of questions they were at the river that barred the path to Doraith's borders. And she set down the hens and sat at the edge of the water and pulled her boots off for a moment resting her feet in the cool water and he wondered at how long she had been out for for her to take such pleasure in the cold water of the Sirion. On the far side of it he knew lay Doraith, and not far to the South lay another smll just of the guarded realm and he knew he could go no further without raising the wrath of King Thingol himself. Across the way though he heard a loud laugh, one that cause the elleth he had been following to stand up and grab her boots and head back to the forest she had just left her hens in hand. Afarfin stood in shock for a moment before he heard a voice clear as day itself ring out over the lake. "Little Melviriel seems to have caught herself a suitor at last. A bush man to match her wild ways!" The peel of laughter caused Afarfin to blush in anger, and embaressment not for himself but for the woman he had followed. Immediately he went after her despite figuring that would only make their teasings worse.

"Melviriel? That is your name?" He asked inside the protection of the trees, this was not how he wished to have learned her name by any means this seemed a cruel way to learn it and the elves across the river had upset her so that he found her wiping tears from her eyes with the back of her sleeve. She gave him only a small nod and glanced out towards where the elves were across the lake. He looked there as well and his brow knit with anger.

"You would deny me your name and treat me like I am child being annoying and nothing more, yet the words of that elf bring you to tears and turn you to a subservant maiden?" He grabbed a hold of her arm.

"Saeros has the Kings favour, he sits on his council, and my family..." She paused looking at the river. "We are welcome guests in Doraith, but we are not kinsmen of Lord Thingol." She said softly.

"And he would use that against you? He is a foul and cruel beast to do such a thing I must say." Afarfin said gripping her tighter in his anger at this Saeros, not even realising it until there was a small whimper from her and immediately he released her. "Forgive me, such cowardice from one that is part of the courts, I would show him the broad side of my blade if I were so allowed but alas my lady, I have no rights in Doraith and I must leave you to deal with him." He lowered his head and looked into her eyes, and her breath caught he could feel it, fearful of him. "I know you have the will to deal with such things, surely King Thingol will not treat you poorly if you stand up to this fool Saeros." He said wiping away another tear that had just begun to form. "I will be back in three fortnights, I would see you again and pray you bring Saeros along so that I may teach him better manners. There was a small nod from Melviriel and he smiled and released her.

"Farewell my lady." With that she turned and headed from the forest traveling straight south, and he watched until he could see her no more, figuring she had passed into the Girdle of Melian and he had to ride back now for Tol Sirion.


	2. Chapter 2

Her path through the forest was a swift one, and she did not walk along it, Saeros after all would perhaps harry the Noldo for a short while but soon he would turn his cruel attentions back to her something she had no intentions of suffering any longer than needed. The further she got into the Girdle the closer she was to other elves, and Saeros would not bother her in the company of elves other than his friends, it would reflect poorly on him. She crossed the bridge and was relieved that she had not seen him yet when suddenly she heard laughter from behind her.

"Fleet footed Melviriel, trying to outrun the deer perhaps?" It was Saeros he had caught up with her as had his friends, they had to have been all but running to catch her she figured with the speed she had been traveling at. However they were not laden with game, even if it was two small wild hens it was still more than any of them were carrying.

"No just you and your tongue." She replied dryly. The Noldo was right she did have the will to deal with it when she must, however when she could disappear from their sight and weep for her wounds she did.

"Come now little Nando, surely you have better manners than that. Why else would King Thingol take your family in?" Saeros said as the group all but cut her off from her path. They failed to remember though that she was no fine lady of the courts and quickly she began treading through undergrowth as if it were the path.

"It is dangerous outside of the Girdles, and my father fights for King Thingol." She hissed angrily making her way around their blockade and back to the path. The path was her best bet for finding other elves, hopefully those that were not friendly with Saeros.

"Your father does, you though are a waste of effort, last I heard you can't cook, clean, sew, sing, and your arm is far too weak to be of use in battle." He said grabbing at her left arm. She jerked away hard and glared at him, however a good amount of it was true, she could not sew or sing or dance like the ladies of the court. Her mother could and had tried to teach her. She could clean and cook, as could any elf, was it the finest meals in the courts? No but they were edible and hearty, and she was a woman, training the same way that men did. It was all but unheard of. Many knew how to wield weapons, but trained to fight in wars?

"I do my part well enough, it is not as if I am trying to win your affections, I'd prefer if I did not have to deal with any of your attention at all they are utterly useless and a waste of my time." She muttered mostly to herself however Saeros heard her and snarled angrily.

"How dare you say such a thing to a member of the Kings council?" She had not been expecting it but she found herself shoved backwards and she stood for a moment like an animal that had been caught in a snare. "I should tell the King of your insolence and see what he does to you." Melviriel looked for an opening to bolt but there was none, save for down the path back out towards the Girdle itself and as soon as she saw it, it was closed by the other elves that were with Saeros.

She remained silent as she was circled, Saeros was in her face looking down on her though she did her best to avoid his gaze entirely looking past him and the elves he was with in an attempt to see if there was anyone further down the path, her ears straining t hear if there was anyone coming.

"I doubt he would bother with you for your tongue, except I think I should tell him of your cavorting with the Noldo. We all know his thoughts on them since he discovered the reason and the means of their return. "Saeros grabbed her by her face just as she swore she heard footsteps on the path. "He would send you from Doriath faster than your father could plead your case."

"Plead her case for what Saeros?" Melviriel shut her eyes and relaxed, she knew the deep voice that broke Saeros' grip upon her and he immediately stepped away as did his friends. Beleg, a friend of her father, though perhaps not best friends he had shown her a few times how to use a bow when he had happened upon her with her father teaching her to use a bow.

"Speaking with one of the Noldo outside the Girdle, who knows secrets she was giving to the kin slayer." Saeros said raising his chin. "Probably having him protect her while she is out pretending to hunt in exchange for it."

At that there was a murmur from the guard that Beleg was with but their leader gave a laugh.

"You would have me believe that this woman doesn't know how to hunt and defend herself outside of the Girdle?" He said setting a hand on Melviriel's shoulder, before taking the hens in her hand and looking at them.

"Noldo prefer their swords to bows, and these are clean kills through their necks a small target on hens this size, how many of us could strike an orc through the neck?" He asked turning towards his men, most of them shook their heads or shrugged. "They are also bled properly. I should think Saeros, that I would rather have this defenceless girl with me on a mission than you. Her aim is truer, and she would not get us all killed with her boasting while she was not paying attention." Beleg said handing back the hens and Melviriel felt very small, despite the fact that she had just been paid a wonderful compliment by one of the greatest archers that she had ever known. This was the first time though that he had actually caught Saeros in the act of harassing her. Saeros stepped back as Beleg stepped forward.

"Now run along to the King, and let him know that I will be coming to speak to him on your behaviour towards your kin."

"She is no kin of mine or yours!" Saeros huffed indignantly.

"She is Nando just as you are, is she not? Or do you try to forget that you are not originally a follower of King Thingol?" At this Saeros deflated entirely and stepped back. "Run along Saeros and the rest of you as well. I have seen enough of you to last me an age as far as I am concerned, one day your words will find you your doom." Beleg snapped as the group ran off. Melviriel turned and bowed her head slightly.

"Thank you Beleg Cuthalion. Your words were over kind." She said softly giving him a small smile.

"Hardly, I watched you practice with your father often enough to know that were you a boy I'd have had you at my side on several missions already." He said giving her shoulder a firm pat. "I would be tempted to do so anyways but while I may have the stronger arm, your father would likely kill me for endangering you. That is why he brought you to Doriath after all." At that Melviriel blushed slightly. "And there you are! Proving indeed you are a girl! Blushing at praise rather than puffing up!" He said with a laugh glancing down the path making sure that Saeros and his group were long gone.

"Take care of yourself, your father would have my head if he knew I encouraged you more than he does, and if Saeros bothers you further let me know, I will drag him before Thingol and teach him a lesson in manners." He said motioning for the group to get moving; they were after all on their way out to hunt down a group of orcs that had been being particularly troublesome as of late further to the south. "We must go, but I will expect to hear about this Noldo if Saeros was speaking the truth, after all if none of the Sindar are catching your fancy I must find out what this Noldo did to get you to speak to him so I can instruct some of the soldiers as to what is required to gain your affections." With that he turned and was off with the rest of the soldiers leaving her blushing like a fool hoping desperately that he was not entirely serious.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been almost six weeks since she had returned from her hunting trip, and she had not been allowed out of the Girdle since then. Saeros had been crafty he had not breathed a word to King Thingol or Lady Melian; however he had told people in the courts vague rumours. Her mother had figured them out, and she was certain that most of the court had as well. Her mother had asked that she be kept inside the Girdle and she did not know if she would be allowed back in should she leave and she did not wish to find out once she was outside of it. Instead she was waiting inside; sewing a crude little pouch that she would use to keep berries or herbs in should she be out in the woods. Her simple project and the multiple curses that she had let loose for the multiple times she'd pricked her fingers with the needle did not impress her mother though. Her mother was of course looking at her with disdain as she worked on some fancy embroidered piece of cloth, "I do not know why you would have to go cavorting with a kin slaying Noldo!"

"I was not cavorting mother." Melviriel said setting down her almost finished pouch. "He was following me, and I was telling him to leave."

"The bruises then child!" Her mother said waving her hands at her daughter. "Are you telling me then that the Noldo is dangerous and that it I should make sure you do not go out there again without a proper guard?"

"No." Melviriel signed and looked to the window. She honestly did not know how long it was going to be before her father returned. He had been gone for many months already, so he should be returning soon, at least that was what she prayed to the Valar for. "I need to go start on dinner." With that she stood and headed for the small kitchen, her mother nodded her temper sated for the time being. Cooking was perhaps the only thing that she could do that her mother approved of, though she did not like making fancier meals that her mother preferred but her father enjoyed the food she made as did her mother.

She heard the door open and headed towards door to see her father, he looked a bit dirty from his travels but otherwise he was in good shape.

"Melviriel!" With that she took a few good fast steps forward, and gave her father a hug and he returned it fiercely.

"I missed you." She said softly, she had hoped it was soft enough that her mother had not heard however she heard the snort from her.

"She is angry with me; I do not want her going hunting again. She is dealing with a Noldo."

"A Noldo? Beleg was right?" Her father looked at her with a strange smirk as he pushed her away slightly so that he could look her in the face

"Beleg knows?" Her mother looked at her with utter rage in her face which Melviriel could just see over his shoulder, "what will we do?"

"While I am not impressed with fact she was seen by Saeros with a Noldo, I can think of worse things that could happen." With that her father craned his neck looking to see what it was that Melviriel was cooking for supper.

"She had bruises on her arms Melcirien! From the Noldo, she told me that herself." This brought his attention back to her immediately.

"He hurt you?" The look on her father's face told her she needed to tread about this subject very carefully.

"It was me, I went to do something foolish and he restrained me." This was a lie, but she feared what would happen as she knew he would follow her out for many days to come, and she did not want him to kill the other elf if he came across him. She did not want her father exiled because he too was a kin slayer. At this her father looked her over carefully but nodded, and she hugged him tightly again he gave her a gentle and comforting pat on the back.

"All right Melviriel. Do we have some of your wild hens for dinner? I know how well you can cook those little birds and we do not have time for hunting while doing patrols."

"I have not allowed her to go out hunting since she returned. It is too dangerous." At this her father let her go and turned to her mother.

"Too dangerous? Please she can shoot a ground hen through the neck and can handle a dagger as well as any of the new members of the patrols that join the ranks. What is so dangerous to her?"

"The Noldo, her reputation is at stake! If she is seen as cavorting with a kin slayer, and betraying the secrets of Doriath-"

At this her father held up his hand and gave her mother a sad look as he shook his head. "Our daughter is strong willed love, and she has no secrets of Doriath to give. She is not a member of the King's Council, or even the court." At this her mother looked defeated and headed back to her stitching while her father turned back to her shaking his head. He sat down at the table and put his head in his hands.

"When Beleg told me that there was a Noldo interested in you I have to admit that I was not thinking I would have this much of a headache to deal with when I got home." He said softly as she set a basin of water before him. Melviriel shrugged.

"I did not think it was so important either, but Saeros-"

"He is who got your mother in this state then?" Melcirien said washing his hands and splashing water onto his face.

"Partially, he spread it about the courts from what I can tell. I have to admit I did not help, I was," she paused stirring the pot that had the stew she was making in it, "unimpressed by the whole affair which agitated her even more I am afraid." At this her father nodded, he understood his daughters attitude towards the whole affair, it was similar to his. The Courts of Melian did not overly concern him, yes he did his part to serve the king, but Melviriel was no burden to Doriath. The only person that seemed to have issue with her was Saeros, and Melcirien had no use for him either, they were kinsmen but you would not tell it by how the King's Council man treated him or his family.

"I will do my best to make it so you can go out hunting after tomorrow; tonight I just wish to stay home and rest." To this Melviriel gave a smile and a nod. "You will need to come with me tomorrow though to the court to help me." This made Melviriel look at him strangely; he knew how much she disliked the Courts and those that were there. Her father patted his face dry and looked at her. "It is at least partially your problem; you can help me deal with it." With that he took the basin and set it aside so that they could eat their meal.


	4. Chapter 4

Melviriel sat picking at the hem of her shirt, playing with a stitch that was not quite tight enough as she stood beside her father waiting for her father's chance to speak with the Lady Melian about allowing her to go back outside of the Girdle to hunt as she wished. Her mother of course had been dismayed by the fact that her best clothing was no longer the dress she had made for her years ago now, but this new hunting shirt.

"Melcirien, you come to my Court today to ask a favour?" The voice of Thingol was resounding and it made Melviriel glance up quickly at him he was looking right at her and she quickly glanced away.

"Aye my Lord, I've come to ask that my daughter be allowed to journey outside the Girdle again."

"It was your wife that requested she be kept inside the Girdle." Melian said softly.

"Yes, she was excited due to some of the rumours floating about the court. She over reacted, trying to protect our daughter." Melcirien spoke with Melviriel watched him closely not wanting to be here any longer as she caught sight of Saeros entering the room. She had to remind herself as she watched her father's back almost transfixed, that they were in a very public place and Saeros would not endanger his favour with King Thingol in order to mock her openly.

"Melviriel, what are your thoughts? You are the only one we have not heard from on this matter and it affects you the most." Melian motioned for her to come forwards her father turned and gently drew her beside him. She licked her lips and tried to catch sight of where Saeros was but could not find him immediately, and so her eyes went back to Melian and she stood silent for a moment while the Queen and King waited for her to speak.

"I would love to travel outside of the Girdle once more to hunt; it can be at times difficult inside the girdle." She said softly.

"And of the rumours?" Melian pried gently.

"They are likely over blown if not made up entirely. I only heard them from my mother and she is prone to making things involving me worse than they are to begin with." At this Melian nodded and gave a small smile.

"All right then, you may hunt as you did before." At this both Melviriel and her father bowed and headed for home to collect their bows and quivers and get themselves some meat for their table.

"So who is she?" Came the question as Afarfin mounted up to leave the watch tower of Minas Tirith to head to the forests near Doriath.

"What makes you think there is anything aside from orcs and bandits where I am going?" Afarfin asked he had been careful to keep from mentioning the woman he had met.

"You have been smiling Mordagnir. Even if it is only at the very corners of your normal scowl it is there." The guard said with a laugh. "That and you've been preoccupied when you are not on watch an then sometimes on watch too especially these last few days."

At that Afarfin raised an eyebrow and glared at the guard. "Who is to say I did not come across band of men and was trying to figure out how to deal with them?"

"The smile." The guard said with a shrug. "If you wish to keep her a secret it does not bother me but at least it would give use something more cheerful to talk about than the almost constant battles with the orcs from the North."

At that Afarfin clenched his jaw. "She is of Doriath she is fair skinned and dark haired, and if you speak too much of her, I think she has skill enough with her bow to take your throat out with it from afar."

"A female archer? Really? One of the Sindar kin to the Teleri?" The guard looked shocked that Afarfin would seek one that was so close to those that they had killed years ago in the havens.

"I do not think she is Sindar. She is a guest of the realm by her own words."

"So Nandor? Mordagnir, you should find a good Noldor woman and live happily." The guard caught a glare ad shook his head. "Or chase this wild dark elf."

With that Afarfin nodded and spurned his horse forward heading for Brethil. As it was his time guarding the Pass of Sirion would soon be over and he would be returning to Nargothrond, which would make traveling easier for there were fewer orcs along the path to Doriath from there.

The journey was swift, he did not bother to hunt orcs in fact he sped to avoid them completely so that he would not be late to meet with Melviriel. He hoped at least that he would meet her once more, for he had missed her greatly though she had hardly spoken to him. Perhaps it was the fact that he was ignored by her that made him more interested, she had not wanted to hear of his war tales, though in truth she had not wanted him to speak at all. When he arrived at Brethil the woods seemed darker than they had been his last visit. This worried him, had Brethil become more dangerous in the time that had passed? Had Melviriel ceased hunting in these woods because it was too dangerous? He dismounted his steed as he came upon the small clearing at the woods and waited there for several hours.

He was beginning to wonder as the sky drew dark, only to hear laughter coming towards him and he turned and waited only to find Melviriel and another elf carrying a few small hens each.

"Melviriel?" At this the laughter stopped and the two elves looked at him, both annoyed though one at him, and the other at Melviriel.


End file.
